CocaCola Company (The) $KO Shares Sold by Graham Capital Management L.P.

Key Points

• Graham Capital Management cut its Coca-Cola stake by 70.4% in the fourth quarter, selling 118,950 shares and leaving it with 50,000 shares worth about $3.5 million.
• Coca-Cola reported better-than-expected quarterly results, with EPS of $0.86 versus $0.81 expected and revenue of $12.47 billion versus $12.24 billion forecast, while revenue rose 11.4% year over year.
• The company also announced a quarterly dividend of $0.53 per share, payable July 1, which annualizes to $2.12 per share for a 2.6% yield.

Graham Capital Management L.P. trimmed its holdings in shares of CocaCola Company (The) (NYSE:KO - Free Report) by 70.4% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 50,000 shares of the company's stock after selling 118,950 shares during the quarter. Graham Capital Management L.P.'s holdings in CocaCola were worth $3,496,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the business. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of CocaCola by 1.6% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 374,771,512 shares of the company's stock worth $26,200,276,000 after buying an additional 5,886,352 shares during the period. State Street Corp raised its stake in shares of CocaCola by 1.2% during the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 167,850,330 shares of the company's stock worth $11,734,417,000 after buying an additional 1,992,327 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its stake in shares of CocaCola by 0.5% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 89,984,203 shares of the company's stock worth $6,273,037,000 after buying an additional 433,547 shares during the period. Norges Bank acquired a new position in shares of CocaCola during the 4th quarter worth approximately $3,865,807,000. Finally, Franklin Resources Inc. raised its stake in shares of CocaCola by 3.1% during the 4th quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 40,289,857 shares of the company's stock worth $2,816,697,000 after buying an additional 1,195,581 shares during the period. 70.26% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

CocaCola Stock Down 0.8%

Shares of KO opened at $80.29 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.09, a quick ratio of 1.15 and a current ratio of 1.36. CocaCola Company has a one year low of $65.35 and a one year high of $84.04. The stock has a market capitalization of $345.44 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.25, a PEG ratio of 3.23 and a beta of 0.35. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $78.86 and a 200 day moving average price of $75.81.

CocaCola (NYSE:KO - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 28th. The company reported $0.86 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.81 by $0.05. CocaCola had a return on equity of 40.55% and a net margin of 27.80%.The firm had revenue of $12.47 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $12.24 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.73 earnings per share. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 11.4% on a year-over-year basis. CocaCola has set its FY 2026 guidance at 3.240-3.270 EPS. Equities research analysts forecast that CocaCola Company will post 3.26 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

CocaCola Dividend Announcement

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, June 15th will be issued a $0.53 dividend. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.6%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, June 15th. CocaCola's dividend payout ratio is presently 66.67%.

Key Stories Impacting CocaCola

Here are the key news stories impacting CocaCola this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Coca-Cola is being highlighted by analysts and market writers as a defensive staple and a low-beta stock that can help investors navigate inflation and rate volatility, which supports its appeal in uncertain markets. Inflationary Woes Continue Despite End of Iran War: 5 Defensive Picks
• Positive Sentiment: KO is also being featured in dividend-focused articles as a “Dividend King” and a stock near record highs, reinforcing the market’s confidence in its long-term cash generation and income stability. 3 Dividend Kings With Income, Stability, and a Possible Catalyst
• Positive Sentiment: Several pieces frame Coca-Cola as a strong consumer-staples holding versus peers like Keurig Dr Pepper, suggesting investors still view KO as a premium brand with scale and pricing power. Coca-Cola vs. Keurig: Which Beverage Stock Should Investors Choose?
• Positive Sentiment: Recent commentary also points to cost-saving initiatives and operating efficiencies helping offset commodity inflation and support margins, which is constructive for earnings durability. Are Coca-Cola's Cost-Saving Initiatives Boosting Profitability?
• Neutral Sentiment: Coca-Cola’s Smartwater expansion through PVOLVE studios is a brand-building move that could help visibility, but it looks more like a marketing partnership than a near-term financial catalyst. Coca-Cola Expands Smartwater Reach Through PVOLVE Studios
• Negative Sentiment: Despite the supportive commentary, KO has recently pulled back from its highs, and one market report noted the stock fell as broader market sentiment improved, suggesting investors may be rotating out of defensives. Coca-Cola (KO) Stock Falls Amid Market Uptick: What Investors Need to Know

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

KO has been the subject of several research analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on CocaCola from $83.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 29th. Sanford C. Bernstein began coverage on CocaCola in a research report on Thursday, June 11th. They set a "market perform" rating and a $84.00 price target for the company. Weiss Ratings upgraded CocaCola from a "buy (b)" rating to a "buy (b+)" rating in a research report on Monday, May 4th. UBS Group boosted their price target on CocaCola from $90.00 to $92.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 29th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their price target on CocaCola from $83.00 to $86.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, March 30th. Fifteen analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $86.69.

Insider Buying and Selling at CocaCola

In other CocaCola news, Chairman James Quincey sold 436,296 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Friday, June 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $80.13, for a total value of $34,960,398.48. Following the completion of the sale, the chairman directly owned 122,833 shares in the company, valued at $9,842,608.29. This represents a 78.03% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, EVP Nancy Quan sold 31,625 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Friday, May 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $80.93, for a total value of $2,559,411.25. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 223,330 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $18,074,096.90. The trade was a 12.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Insiders sold a total of 899,905 shares of company stock worth $71,832,315 in the last three months. 0.90% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

CocaCola Company Profile

The Coca‑Cola Company NYSE: KO is a global beverage manufacturer, marketer and distributor best known for its flagship Coca‑Cola soda. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the company develops and sells concentrates, syrups and finished beverages across a broad portfolio of brands. Its product range spans sparkling soft drinks, bottled water, sports drinks, juices, ready‑to‑drink teas and coffees, and other still beverages, marketed under both global and regional brand names.

Coca‑Cola’s brand portfolio includes widely recognized names such as Coca‑Cola, Diet Coke, Coca‑Cola Zero Sugar, Sprite, Fanta, Minute Maid, Powerade and Dasani, and in recent years the company has expanded into the coffee and premium beverage categories through acquisitions such as Costa Coffee.

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding KO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for CocaCola Company (The) (NYSE:KO - Free Report).

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.